Charting Toward Intimacy
Looking for answers to the questions you don't want to Google? Not sure where to get help when your sexual life is on the rocks and everything the secular culture has to offer is only making things worse? Welcome to Charting Toward Intimacy where you learn to actually enjoy and desire good, holy sex with your spouse.
Hosted by Ellen Holloway, Catholic Sex and Intimacy Coach.
Episodes
211 episodes
Why is sexual pleasure so elusive? | Ep. 204
Get the FREE 5-day Foreplay Foundations Course today!Ellen explores why sexual pleasure is so elusive. Discussing perspectives from Karol Wojtyla's 'Love and Responsibility,' Ellen exp...
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Episode 204
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10:34
Try Again! | Ep. 203
Get the Orgasm Course for Catholic Women right here!In this episode, Ellen and Kathleen discuss perseverance in enhancing marital intimacy. They emphasize reframing thoughts around sex a...
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Episode 203
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28:51
What Does the Church Actually Teach about Foreplay? | Ep. 202
Check out the FREE Five Day Foreplay Course!In this episode, Ellen addresses common questions about foreplay and the Church's teachings on it. Covering topics such as the physiological...
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Episode 202
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16:16
Is Sexual Passivity Ruining Your Marriage (With Mike "Gomer" Gormly) | Ep. 201
In this episode, Ellen and guest Mike 'Gomer' Gormley discuss the issue of sexual passivity in marriages, specifically through a Catholic lens. They explain what sexual passivity is, how it impacts relationships, and practical ways to combat it...
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Episode 201
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1:07:46
How's NFP going? | Ep. 200
In this special 200th episode, Ellen and Kathleen delve into their personal experiences with Natural Family Planning (NFP) and their fertility journeys over the past year +. They reflect on the impact of these experiences on their marriages and...
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Episode 200
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32:46
How to Not Get Distracted During Sex | Ep. 199
Getting distracted during sex not your only struggle with sex? That's why we created the Catholic Sex Course for Women, check it out here!In this episode, Ellen and Kathleen d...
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Episode 199
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29:28
How to Actually Want Sex During the Luteal Phase | Ep. 198
Get the Catholic Sex Positions Guide right here!Stop right now and listen to episode 1...
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Episode 198
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13:39
Porn, Prayer, and NFP: Victoria's Story | Ep. 197
Get the Catholic Sex Course for Women right here!In this special episode, Ellen shares the powerful testimony of a woman named Victoria, who experienced profound changes in her ...
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Episode 197
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28:53
We're Too Busy | Ep. 196
In this episode, Ellen and Kathleen discuss the impact of busyness on intimate relationships. They highlight how constantly busy schedules can strain the connection with spouses and offer practical strategies to maintain intimacy. Additio...
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Episode 196
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36:43
Do You Have a Habit of Saying No? | Ep. 195
In this episode, Ellen discusses the common habit of saying no to sex initiated by a spouse. She shares her personal experience of realizing this habit and challenges listeners to reflect on their reasons for frequently declining intimacy. Elle...
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Episode 195
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7:49
One (Really Hard) Thing You Can Do Right Now to Improve Your Sex Life | Ep. 194
Ellen discusses the essential role of forgiveness in maintaining a healthy sexual and marital relationship. She emphasizes that forgiving a spouse, while difficult, is crucial for opening up emotionally and physically within the marriage. Ellen...
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Episode 194
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9:40
Tempering Male Sexual Arousal with Kurt Holloway | Ep. 193
Ellen and her husband Kurt discuss strategies to balance arousal differences between partners during foreplay and sex, particularly when a man's arousal curve is faster than a woman's. They stress the importance of mutual responsibility for eac...
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Episode 193
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19:46
The One Thing That is Guaranteed to Fix Every Marital Problem | Ep. 192
In this episode, Ellen discusses the profound impact of the sacraments of the Eucharist and Confession on improving sex life and marital intimacy for Catholic women. Drawing insights from 'The Imitation of Christ,' she highlights the healing an...
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Episode 192
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17:55
How to Talk About Sex Everyday with Your Husband | Ep. 191
In this episode, Ellen and Kathleen emphasize the importance of discussing sex daily with your spouse as a way to improve communication and eliminate the negativity often associated with these conversations. They suggest setting aside just five...
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Episode 191
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21:19
Can We Use Sex Toys? | Ep. 190
Ellen discusses the moral licitness of using marital aids, commonly known as sex toys, in Catholic marriages. She explains that while replacing sex with such aids is immoral, their use to enhance pleasure and intimacy within the marital act is ...
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Episode 190
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7:58
Men's Sexual Health and Nutrition | Ep. 189
In this episode, Ellen and guest Ginny Noce discuss the critical role of nutrition and lifestyle in enhancing men's sexual health. Ginny, a registered nurse and fertility awareness instructor with a master's degree in nutrition, shares insights...
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Episode 189
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31:44
Touch Time (Why you need to do this!) | Ep. 188
Ellen addresses the challenge of feeling uncomfortable with any touch from your husband automatically leading to sex. She introduces 'touch time' as a technique to build comfort and safety with non-sexual touch between spouses. Touch time invol...
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Episode 188
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13:08
Stop Shoulding On Yourself! | Ep. 187
In this episode, Ellen and Kathleen discuss the common struggle of saying 'should' in your sex life and how it can negatively affect your intimacy. They explore the importance of understanding the underlying reasons for these feelings. The host...
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Episode 187
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31:50
Alleviating Male Performance Issues Related to NFP | Ep. 187
In this episode, Ellen addresses a listener's question about male sexual dysfunction, particularly erectile dysfunction and inability to finish, related to performance anxiety and natural family planning (NFP). She offers insights from a Cathol...
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Episode 187
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14:02
Pursuing Your Husband (Why it's the best thing for your marriage) | Ep. 186
In this episode, Ellen and Kathleen discuss the importance of pursuing your spouse outside of the bedroom, offering practical advice and theological insights. They stress the significance of intentional love actions and how they reflect our rel...
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Episode 186
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34:02
Wives, Be Subordinate to Your Husbands (What it ACTUALLY Means) | Ep. 185
Ellen dives into the frequently misunderstood Ephesians chapter 5, elucidating its true meaning and emphasizing the profound responsibilities it places on both husbands and wives. She explores how Ephesians chapter 4's call to holiness frames t...
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Episode 185
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16:53
What Do I Do if My Husband Doesn't Agree With Church Teaching? Ep. 184
Ellen welcomes Dr. Sarah Bartell, a moral theologian specializing in marriage and sexuality, to discuss how to handle situations where a husband does not agree with Catholic teachings on sex, intimacy, natural family planning, and contraception...
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Episode 184
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40:49
THE Most Important Requirement of a Married Relationship | Ep. 183
Ellen and Kathleen discuss the crucial role of empathy in relationships, particularly in the context of a married sexual relationship. They emphasize the importance of understanding and sharing the feelings of one's spouse, navigating differenc...
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Episode 183
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28:38
Shame isn't Actually a Bad Thing! | Ep. 182
In this episode, Ellen explores the complex concept of shame in the context of sex and intimacy for Catholic women. Drawing insights from St. John Paul II's "Love and Responsibility," she discusses the dual nature of shame—its protective aspect...
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Episode 182
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16:14
When to Stop TTA (Trying to Avoid) | Ep. 181
In this episode Ellen and Kathleen delve into the highly requested topic of knowing when it's the right time to stop avoiding pregnancy and start trying to conceive. They explore the differences between the two approaches and discuss the beauti...
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Episode 181
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28:44